Last month, Taco Bell tried to launch what they thought was a funny, low-cost ad campaign:
50 Cent has been asked to change his name to 79 Cent by a fast food chain.
The ‘In Da Club’ rapper was challenged by Taco Bell to consider calling himself 79, 89 or 99 Cent to promote the restaurant’s new value menu. Taco Bell have promised to donate $10,000 to a charity of the rapper’s choice if he also agrees to stop at one of their outlets and rap his order at the drive-thru…
Taco Bell President and CEO Greg Creed said in a letter to the singer: “We know that you adopted the name 50 Cent years ago as a metaphor for change. We at Taco Bell are also huge advocates for change. We encourage you to ‘Think Outside the Bun’ and hope you accept our offer.”
Okay, maybe the boss of Taco Bell isn’t as funny as he thinks he is. So sue him! Whoops, that’s exactly what’s happening. The roided-out rapper is taking the chain’s chalupa-chucking butts to court:
50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, accuses the Mexican-style fast food chain of “diluting the value of his good name” and employing a guerrilla advertising campaign to fool consumers into thinking he had endorsed the chain, said the lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court.
“Without seeking or obtaining Jackson’s authorization, defendant Taco Bell made him the star and focus of its nation-wide advertising campaign by using his name, persona and trademark to promote Taco Bell’s business and products,” court papers said.
I guess he’s in the right, but he’s got a lot of nerve complaining that they’re besmirching his “good name.” The former crack dealer who first became noted in the music industry for his uncanny ability to withstand gunshot wounds is worried about a fast-food joint making him look bad? Yeah, the steroid allegations, the lyrics about bitches and hoes, and the complete lack of flow really impressed me, but then I heard Fitty might be shilling for Taco Bell…
Compare and contrast this to a similar stunt Dr. Pepper pulled last March. They offered to give out a free can to everybody in the U.S. on the day Guns N’ Roses long-awaited Chinese Democracy album finally comes out. Everybody in the U.S., that is, except former GNR guitarists Slash and Buckethead. Funny idea, right? It’s probably what inspired Taco Bell’s attempt. And this was Axl’s response:
“We are surprised and very happy to have the support of Dr. Pepper with our album Chinese Democracy, as for us, this came totally out of the blue. If there is any involvement with this promotion by our record company or others, we are unaware of such at this time. And as some of Buckethead’s performances are on our album, I’ll share my Dr. Pepper with him.”
Dear 50 Cent: When you’re more litigious and self-serious than Axl freaking Rose…
Wow. When did Axl Rose get a sense of humor? Good for him.
As for ‘fiddy’ - he’s been on my short list of people that need kicked in the throat for years now, and I don’t see him falling off the list anytime soon.
I read the story in the link and this is my favorite part: “As Taco Bell intended, many customers believed that 50 Cent had agreed to endorse Taco Bell’s products. Indeed, postings on numerous Internet ‘blogs’ castigated 50 Cent for ’selling out’ by his apparent endorsement of Taco Bell,” the lawsuit said.
50 Cent sellout? Heaven forfend!
http://www.bevnet.com/reviews/glaceauvitamin/product_2174.asp
http://www.shopecko.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=2932986
http://www.forbes.com/2007/08/15/hip-hop-millionaires-biz-cx_lg_0816hiphop_slide_3.html?thisSpeed=30000
This gets awfully close to a lawsuit based on the fact that many many people are dumb and easily confused. Taco Bell crossed a line, I think, but still…we’re almost to the point where you aren’t allowed to say someone’s name without them suing.
But this is the internet age where everybody loves to accuse people of selling out. I’ve seen crazier- including people talking about how someone “sold out” and thus “ruined their legend” by appearing in an independent picture…for free…so yeah, I guess I’d be mad if I were 50 too, since I’d know that a lot of my fans will be pissed at me for no reason.
So that’s how you spell hoes!
I’ve only eaten Taco Bell once in my whole life, and I’ve never heard a 50 cent “song”. I guess I’m the winner here.
Big freakin’ deal. 50 IS a sell-out, so I don’t get how this is news to people. Plus, his ‘music’ sucks, and as a Tupac fan, it does not sit well with me that he’s famous for talking about bitches and hoes and mentioning company names to make a buck. BRING BACK THE REAL MUSIC!
I’m team Taco Bell on this one.
ruining his good name — LOLOLLLLLLLL ooookay
The only rap I listen to is Snoop Dogg, and say what you will, I just don’t like any other rap music, so I couldn’t tell you of 50 Cent sucks or not. What I do know is that most performers, however they first gain their fame, eventually sell out, whether it’s the use of a song in a commercial, over commercializing their music, or whatever. Is it a bad thing? Well, it depends on the degree of the sell out. If it truly alienates their fans or goes far far opposite of what they stand for that it’s laughable, then yeah, it’s a bad thing. If it’s conceding some things in order to remain relevant in the business like allowing their music to naturally evolve or trying new things for a kick, I am more forgiving.
As for Taco Bell, the idea for the promotion is cute, but they should have made sure that he would be okay with it. Not that they could possibly ruin the good name of a person who used to sell rocks for a living, and refers to women as bitches and ho’s, but hey, there ya have it.
Kim: “as a Tupac fan,..BRING BACK THE REAL MUSIC!”
Oh lawd.
Also: Lighten up “50″, 99% of intelligent society already knows you are a human joke. Might as well roll with it.
I don’t listen to any of them, but my kids do. I went to a (rock) concert in St. Louis not long ago, and they were flashing the 3 fingers down, 3 fingers up Midwest sign. I don’t think anybody got shot. But if they ate at Taco Hell, they got ptomaine.
There are few things funnier than hearing a straight-laced, greying, middle-aged News Anchor struggling to properly pronounce “Fiddy Cent”. I hope he doesn’t go for the change to “79 cent” as it would completely lose all of its comedic charm! ROCK ON FIDDY!
“employing a guerrilla advertising campaign to fool consumers into thinking he had endorsed the chain, said the lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court.”
Could it be considered a “Guerrilla Unit?”